Let's act like I totally had a legitimate reason to not update and I'm not just lazy, kay?
Chapter 2:
Empathy
It hasn't moved in ages.
It should have moved by now, should have nudged closer to the promised land. Yet it refused, it remained stagnate, an unmovable obstacle in the way of everyone's freedom.
How has it come to this? With it's job unfinished, they were trapped here, stuck to forever waste away until nothing remained except agony and despair.
Amber blinked, watching as the clock-hand finally moved. Huh, she could have sworn it was broken.
"...while it is ill-advised to handle dust in such a manner, in a bleak situation you'll need every advantage you can get." The speaker adjusted his glasses, staring out at the large group of children seated in desks before him with various degrees of boredom evident on their faces. Amber didn't even try to look attentive, too emotionally drained from the school day to put the effort in.
Honestly, they were in a combat school, what was the point in lectures? She would have understood if it was about Grimm, or about anything combat oriented at all. Heck, she'd even settle for weapon discussion. But noooo, instead she gets dust theory, who even uses pure dust? Nearly all hunters have very little experience handling pure dust, only using bullets of the stuff in their everyday use.
If she wasn't going to use dust, why should she have to know what individual crystals do when powdered and laced with aura? She wasn't a Schnee, no one else could use dust so willy-nilly without going bankrupt.
"...if combined in such a manner the results would be extremely volatile."
She didn't care! No one in the class was going to use dust like that! She puffed her cheeks in annoyance, looking back at the clock to see if it moved at all.
"Have a good day and remember to finish up chapters 41 to 43 by next class." The teacher turned around, ignoring the fleeing students as he started cleaning the chalkboard.
Amber sighed in relief as finally, at long last, school has ended for the day. Brushing a stray red lock aside she made to leave. Quickly gathering up her belongings and stuffing them in her bag, she all but ran out of the classroom, nearly bowling over another student in her rush to leave.
She darted down the large halls of Watchtower, taking care to avoid anyone else. It wasn't too hard, the combat school was huge. It might have been due to it being an actual garrison with a watchtower long ago, she didn't know, Amber never really paid attention in history class.
Rounding a corner to reach her locker Amber punched the combination in and flung the door open. Repeating the process of filling her pack she dumped everything inside. Before moving to shut the door, planning to get going she spotted what was left inside. How could she almost forget? With a grin she stuffed it into her bulging backpack.
She was on a roll with ideas and wanted to bring along her course schematic to work on. Weapon Construction was finally getting into the good bits, and they begun covering actually making a weapon! No more boring lectures in a stuffy classroom for her, no siree, now she sat in the school workshop listening to boring lectures. Wasn't much of an improvement but she did learn a lot.
The teacher even encouraged the class to begin working on their course schematics, their plans for the weapon they would create by years end. Everything was coming together and she was determined to get a head start.
She risked a quick glance down the locker-lined hall, seeing no one coming her way. Everyone was probably taking their time, sticking around to talk to friends if she had to guess. If she hurried she could definitely make it out before anyone else. Her ears twitched as she swung the bag over her shoulder and made her way towards the exit.
Amber had to hurry. It wasn't too bad while she was in a class but after? She just wanted to get home before someone decided she was looking too cheerful for their tastes.
"Hey Amber!"
She should have known it wasn't going to be that easy...
Amber froze, recognizing who the voice belonged to. Out of everyone in the whole academy it just had to be him. She jerked her head, staring into the golden orbs of her classmate like a deer in headlights. She was almost out!
Her classmate stood behind her, eyebrow arched as he regarded her panicked expression. His uniform was disheveled without even his tie.
"So what's go-"
"Didn't you have gym last class?" She cut him off before she could stop herself. She was hoping to not run into anyone yet here Shirou stood when he should have been on the other side of the academy!
The corners of his mouth twitched upwards into a smile. "You know my schedule?"
She winced at the implication, realizing how that sounded. "Th-that's not important!"
"Geez, I dunno. Sounds really suspicious to me." Shirou drummed his fingers against his arm. "You've been keeping tabs on me? I'm flattered but-"
"-You know that's not what I meant!" she cut him off, face now red from embarrassment. "We have enough classes together and I got a feel about your schedule. Nothing 'suspicious' at all," She was glaring now, "Are you done? School's over and I really have to go."
"What's the hurry? Have somewhere to be?" He looked interested when he asked. That wasn't a good sign.
"Yeah! I mean, um, yeah, I do. I'm real busy, lots of stuff to do so I really have to get going!" Amber rambled, caught off guard by the question. Dang it! She was on a roll too. Hoping that was the end of it she pivot on her foot to walk away...
Only for a hand grabbing hold of her arm to stop her. Shirou still had a smile on his face but his eyes, his eyes had an intensity to them that just made her want to bolt more than she already did.
"No one likes a liar, Amber." Shirou chided, he wagged his finger at her like a scolding parent. She gritted her teeth, ears flattening against her head at the patronizing.
"Just let me go Shirou!" Amber cried. She tried to tug her arm out of his grasp to no avail. With each pull his fingers dug deeper into her skin and it was starting to hurt. "I'm not in the mood for this!"
"If you say so," With a smile Shirou did just that, releasing her arm right before she tugged another time, causing her to lose her balance. She stumbled backwards, collapsing to the ground as her papers scattered everywhere. "...whoops?" He droned.
Amber groaned, she really didn't want to deal with this today. She pushed herself onto her knees, grabbing her open bag to shove everything back in. She knew she was forgetting something, turns out it was to zip up her bag.
Dang it.
She stuffed her drawing in first, then reached out to grab her history homework. That's when Amber noticed Shirou and her weren't alone.
The sound of laughter filled the halls as more students came upon the scene. Amber's face burned in embarrassment as she hid beneath her bangs, trying to block out the mocking sounds from around her as she continued to put everything back in her bag.
Slowly the jeers and voices died down and she finally looked up. The hallway was empty save for her and Shirou, who just leaned against the wall and stared down at her with a blank expression.
"In my defense I did what you told me to." If she was looking for sympathy she would have to look elsewhere.
"Why?" She couldn't stop herself from asking.
"Why what?"
"Why are you such a jerk? I didn't do anything yet you always have to pick on me," Amber felt her eyes start misting up. She tried to play it off and use her sleeve to stop it, not wanting Shirou to see her cry. Might make him feel accomplished. "Just leave me alone." She begged, still holding her sleeve to her face. Maybe if she made herself small enough he'd get bored and leave.
Shirou stayed quiet, allowing her a moment of peace before speaking up. "You're right, you never done anything to me personally." He finally said.
"So why? Why do you hate me?" She gave up trying to hide it and looked up with tearful eyes.
He just smiled softly, extending his hand out to her. "Hate you? I don't hate you Amber."
His words struck a chord with her."You-you don't?" She would be lying if she said she didn't want to know. The white haired boy continued to belittle and bully her since they met.
Maybe she could clear up whatever was wrong between them. If he was going to extend a helping hand Amber wouldn't brush him off. She reached up and let him pull her to her feet. Progress, she felt better not having to look up at him. She smiled timidly and tilted her head to stare at Shirou's eyes; well, maybe she still had to look up a little.
"'course not," Shirou patted her on the head, giving her another grin that made her feel more at ease. It felt like she was with her older brother before he left home. He was a jerk too, almost as bad as Shirou. It must be a guy thing, roughhousing was their nature. She beamed up at him, like she cracked some secret to the universe.
Before he gave one of her ears a painful yank, making her cry out. "I'm just not an animal person, you know?" Shirou said casually, like he was talking about the weather.
She should've expected this. Shirou had a way with words, a way to make her feel like complete trash with minimal effort.
"I'm not an animal." Amber whispered, both to Shirou and to herself. She was always told to never be ashamed of her heritage. To remain strong against contempt!
"Oh? You're not?" Shirou gave the ear he held another tug. "What's this than? Looks like something you'd see on a fox to me." He contemplated the organ in his hand, idly rubbing the soft crimson fur as he mulled over his thoughts.
"Are these just for show or do you actually hear from them?" He asked, strangely curious all of a sudden. "I mean, you have two normal ears already, how does having an extra pair even work? Like, surround sound or something?"
'Remain strong, don't be ashamed. Remain strong, don't be ashamed.' Amber repeated the mantra in her head. She stood in silence, body quivering from embarrassment. She knew she wasn't in the wrong, it was all his fault! She just minded her own business yet this stupid jerk just had to go out of his way to make her feel like utter garbage.
And yet...
"You're the worst, you know that!" Amber cried as she ran out, self-esteem shattered not for the first time nor the last.
With Amber's departure Shirou found himself alone in the halls. With a sigh he leaned back up against the wall, letting his back slide down until he was seated on the floor. He felt the traces of shame and resentment swirling, left behind from the distraught girl. He experienced the hope, small as it was, of his bullied classmate. But most of all, he felt the resignation Amber had to her treatment.
"You don't like the way you're treated, but you believe it's unavoidable." Shirou shifted his back. He didn't understand her. Why accept such treatment without doing anything about it? She could stand up for herself, fight back, anything besides skulking through the halls to avoid everyone.
The boy scoffed, suddenly annoyed with the departed girl. Amber was suppose to be a hunter? Her? The girl who couldn't even stand up to another her age was going to face off against humanity's predator?
She should quit while she still has the chance. It was strange how she hasn't yet.
Even more confusing; why did he care? She was a faunus, an animal, a born liar. He felt foolish, embarrassed even to admit he cared a tiny bit for Amber.
But she didn't choose to be born that way…
And neither did he
He drew circles with the dust on the floor, letting his mind and emotions argue with one another. He was used to it by now.
Shirou cracked opened the door slowly, knowing the creak it made and taking care to avoid it. He slipped inside, pausing in mid-step to strain his ears for any reaction. He leaned past the corner, staring into the other room. A couch was situated against the wall with a coffee table littered with books in front of it. Only an old television and a few bookshelves with decorations filled out the room. Nothing he cared for currently. He had more important things to do than watch T.V. With meticulous steps he made his way through the lounge, towards the doorway on the opposite side.
He pressed himself against the wall as he passed into the corridor. Shimmying against the wall he halted before an open doorway where the sound of someone humming originated.
The boy peaked in, spotting the figure humming to herself besides a counter on the other side. He sidestepped the wooden table set for two, and stalked towards the woman. Only the sound of the wordless tone and rushing water from the sink's tap could be heard. He grinned in satisfaction, this was it. Slowly he raised his arms...
"Welcome home hon." His mother said without even turning around. Shirou groaned in defeat.
"Aw come on. I know for a fact you didn't hear me." The young boy complained. He walked up besides her and peaked at what she was making. "I didn't even hear myself."
"Mother's intuition," Miyako answered matter-of-factly. She ignored his eye roll and placed the apples she was rinsing on a nearby cutting board, chopping them up as she continued, "I'm making a pie for Aunt Akira."
Shirou grunted, too focused with what he was doing to respond. Every time his mother finished cutting one of the fruits she dumped the pieces into a bowl. He just had to wait till she went back to chopping and just. reach. a little further...
A spoon descend onto his hand, making him pull away with a yelp, "Come on," Shirou whined, "Just a slice."
It was his mother's turn to roll her eyes, "No," She said, "Those are for your aunt. Besides there's some more in the- Hey! What did I just say!" Miyako glared at the boy happily munching away on a handful of slices.
"Yeah, but you already cut them up," He shrugged, swallowing his stolen treat, "I don't like the skin."
Like that was a good enough excuse. Miyako swiped the spoon again but Shirou only twisted away. "You never change, do you?" She retorted, smiling in spite of herself. "My own little apple thief."
"Don't say that," Shirou groaned, "That sounds so lame." He complained.
"Aww, but you always thought you were so sneaky when I let you take an apple," She teased, "Always so proud of yourself."
Shirou felt the need to defend his skills "You didn't let me, I Was that sneaky." his cheeks heat up, like whenever his mom got like this
"You were so cute too," Miyako gushed, bringing her hands to her checks in remembrance, "What happened to the little boy that tried to be just like me?"
"I'm not listening to you."
"You were so sad when you couldn't grow your hair out like mine. And-"
"-La la la can't hear you la la la."
"- And you looked so adorable in a dress."
"Mom!" Shirou's ears burned, looking away from his laughing mother in annoyance, "I was nine!"
Miyako only giggled. "I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean anything Shirou," She set the chopped vegetables down, smile suddenly turning into something far sinister, "You know, I think I have a picture of that lying around actually."
The white-haired boy gasped, looking at her in horror. "You're lying."
His mother only hummed in response.
"Mom? You are lying… right?"
Her no reply seemed to confirm his fears.
Shirou stormed out of the kitchen, "I'm going through the photobook and tearing it up right now!"
"Don't do that! those are precious memories to look back on!" Miyako laughed, chasing after her son before he did something drastic.
"So there is a picture!"
